Summary

Description of the book 'My name is Helen and I am'

'My name is Helen and I am' is a fairy story based entirely on real events, retelling the story of a traumatic childhood in a way that empowers the protagonist (Helen) and gives her agency.

Key characters are Wounded Child and Leana. These are Helen’s inner / spirit children who take on some of the healing work Helen needs to do 200 or so years before she is born, setting the stage for Helen’s own healing journey. 

Up to two thirds of the story is taken up with the struggles and triumphs of Wounded Child and Leana as they battle with personal and societal evils. A constant theme is the power of the feminine spirit with this being seen in all its aspects - through the love and lightness of Leana, the negativity, fear and pain of Wounded Child and the power of the witch, who is also a central character. At first glance, the witch simultaneously embodies both evil and supreme nurturing and goodness. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that she is actually goodness personified and that her evil appearance is a characteristic not of her nature, but ascribed to her by ‘the patriarchy’, symbolised in the story by witch-killing Lord Pompadour.

The spirit children fulfill their part of the destiny and in doing so they foreshadow many of the events that will later play out in Helen’s life. They then sleep safely for many years until 1966 when Helen is born. 

Helen’s part of the story unfolds with her painful childhood and her feelings of abandonment when her mother leaves when she is 8 years old. Leana and Wounded Child reappear at this point to comfort Helen, but she later succumbs to various addictions to numb her pain and the spirit children are also ‘numbed out’. It is only when Helen is 40 and the dysfunction of her life becomes too much that she seeks help through Alcoholics Anonymous that Leana and Wounded Child come back into her life for good. At first their reappearance is to help Helen on her recovery journey. Later, Helen realises that they are her children and her responsibility. She has grown enough to nurture her spirit children, and it is only then that the much needed deep healing can take place.

The climax of the story is joyful and is when Helen meets the witch who had performed the painful healing procedure on Wounded Child earlier in the story, setting the healing in motion. Helen recognises the witch as ‘Mother’, lets go of the last of her shame and self-hatred and embraces her new identity as a woman in the world who has a message that can help others, as a woman who is and can “just be”.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

Nice to be back reading you, Helen, even tho I'm mostly distracted by writing my book these days. Normally, I don't like to see a writer offer an intro so specific & involved . . . this is a synopsis, rather than an enticing tidbit of story that's designed to make us want to read it.

That being said, this is one of the best synopsis's I've read . . . and I read many since I read about a hundred books per year. You do a great job of summarizing the storyline & hitting the significant points. The problem with being so specific (just my opinion) is that you could talk a potential reader OUT of reading your book since some people are not "into" the new-age type language you use. This could be a great story about a healing journey . . . without describing it as a healing story heavy in kitschy therapy terms.

I'm sorry for being so blunt, but this sounds like a person that's had too much therapy. Lots of people would not want to read about all that. But knowing you as I do, I believe your book is much better than this. I believe you probably tell this as a fulsome story, not a case history in therapeutic possibilities! *wink! wink!* Fondly, Margie

[Helen]

Hi Margie,
Never a need to apologise for being blunt. I love that I can trust your comments to be helpful. I think I have another review from you that I will have a look at, but I think I will take your advice and review the language I have used. Thank you as always for your time and comments. Hope the book is going well!

[Thomas W Case]

Powerful makings of a story. Poignant.

[emmajoy]

' The spirit children fulfill their part of the destiny and in doing so they foreshadow many of the events that will later play out in Helen’s life. They then sleep safely for many years until 1966 when Helen is born. '

Seems that is the core of your 'Summary' and find it ticks the boxes I like to know. A beckoning finger draws a reader into needing to know more and for me, you've done. For story or book writers , there are so many chances to alter, delete, expand, be advised. My novella has been hanging around for a century! I'll be back as often as can, Helen, but please feel free to nudge too . Will return to read on, anyway .. : )

[Helen]

thank you for this emmajoy. I would love any advice about altering, deleting, expanding!! I would really just like to know if this has any interest for anyone other than me. I suspect that it is just a bit too personal for general interest. I appreciate you taking the time to read some of it and the interest you have shown

[emmajoy]

Not an expert, and rarely leave negative comments, certainly not publicly. But am willing enough to say what I find inspiring, interesting, touching and such. The most important thing perhaps when someone posts a side of self that can be recognised and understood by someone who's experienced similar.. can never be the same. To know that your pain is recognised and taken to heart becomes both helped and you as a person become helper too. And here you might well have done that. (Sorry somewhat wordy, Helen)

[Coyote Poetry]

A powerful Introduction dear Helen. I wanted to read and know more. I will read some chapter now and thank you for sharing your amazing work.
Coyote

[Arundass TP]

I came interested after reading the summary. I will start reading. I expect power in your words. Summary is written very well.

[Helen]

Gosh thank you. I hope you enjoy it!

[AYVID N]

Hi Helen!
Loved the summary of the book! It'll be such a pleasure reading the chapters ahead. An inwards looking tale...we are mystical beings. I think we all have our spirit children or spirit guides who are always watching over us and take over at critical junctures in our lives. There is definitely so much more to our existence and our reasons for being. So many cosmic permutations and combinations go into us. Looking forward to reading this fascinating book!

[Helen]

Oh Divya, thank you so much for this review and for taking the time to read some of my book. Everything you say is exactly what the book is about - it's my magical, mystical journey and I always say that the book wrote itself or that “my soul wrote it”. Definitely more to us that you can see! That bit you can’t see is tangible in the Writer’sCafe - I can almost touch it and I can certainly feel it, as I did when reading your poem Grey. There are kindred spirits here and I love the connections! Thank you for being one of them,

I came to the Writer’sCafe specifically to post this story because I wanted to know if it could possibly have any appeal to others, or if it is just too personal for wider interest. So far, no-one has looked at it - or commented on it anyway - but it didn’t matter because I ended up engaging with some beautiful people who reviewed some of the poetry I posted instead.

So you are the first and I am grateful and touched by how you have related to it so far. I think you will find and like some of the themes you spoke of, but I would value your honest opinion about whether others would like this story or find anything of use in it. I do not need handling with kid gloves - because I would like to hear the truth, but also because this book is perfect for me and I am happy with that regardless of if it is only me that reads it.

[AYVID N]

Dear Helen, like all others here, I too read and review more poetry than stories. Being an introvert, your theme touched chords in me at once. Your story idea is great for those readers who like the mystical, spiritual kind of genre in fiction. Add to it your simple yet catchy presentation and vivid imagination and the reader is drawn in. You write as if you own your characters and totally own your story. Probably because its your inner world. I will go with the story as it unravels and tell you how I feel. It will be a pleasure to.